Runaways: The Long Journey Home

Choppy Sentences Get More Results

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

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You can drive more search results to your book when you rewrite the descriptions of your books on Amazon.

Use short, choppy sentences. Leave lots of white space. I have re-written the description for my very first book, Runaways, The Long Journey Home:

No Mama. An abusive father. A dog for a best friend.

Ten-year-old Jake runs away from his remote Appalachian home in the dead of winter.

He and Hound, face freezing temperatures and near starvation as they travel through mountainous terrain.

And, they narrowly escape Father as he tracks them with the very rifle he used to kill Sam and Mama.

Then, when Jake hears about God’s unconditional love for him, he is confronted with the biggest decision of his life:

Will he keep running…

Or face his father?

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A Fun Interview

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

 

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Recently, my author friend, Jen Cary, interviewed me for her monthly newsletter. Some of the questions she asked got some buzz, so I thought perhaps you would find them interesting, too. I am including a few of them here:

Question 1:  Tell us something about yourself we don’t know.

My husband and I have  renovated 26 homes in 28 years. We also built our own log cabin. We are not flippers. We actually live in each home. At about the one year mark, with the work completed, we get the itch to find another house that “needs us.”

Question 2:  When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

I think I was born wanting to write. I sidelined my love of writing to become an elementary school teacher. After retiring, I revisited my dream of writing a book. Runaways: The Long Journey Home, was published in 2015. So far, I have written seven others (three are Interactive Picture Books for Alzheimer’s patients).

Question 3:  If you could be anything—except a writer—what would it be?

I would love the chance to do a variety of jobs I find interesting. I think it would be fun to be a restaurant owner and walk around mingling with guests. I’d also like to be a cashier, a receptionist, a watercolor artist, a photographer, work at a carwash (yes, really), or work at the White House or other famous site as a tour guide.

Question 4:  What is the funniest thing to happen to you as an author?

Last year, when shopping at Goodwill with my sister, I ran across a copy of Runaways. I guess you’ve made it big if you find one of your books on their shelves. My sis bought the copy. (She’d loaned hers to a friend and it hadn’t been returned). We had our picture taken with the book in the store. I’m sure other shoppers wondered what these two crazy ladies were doing…

Question 5:  What do you do for relaxation?

I enjoy movies, shopping, and eating out. But my real passion is reading. I read a couple of books each week. I taught myself to read before I was old enough to attend school.

Question 6:  Cheetos, fried or baked?

Ah, a trick question. Fried, of course! (Tip: try them crumbled as a crunchy topping on scalloped potatoes or baked macaroni and cheese.)

 

 

The Message in the Dream

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

Few people dream their dreams to the “end.”

 

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Most of us awake some time before the conclusion. It could be in the middle or near the end, but seldom do dreamers feel that they have experienced 100% of the dream. This is a relief for those having nightmares, although for some it may be frustrating.

A few people say they are able to go back to sleep and “pick up where they left off.” (This sounds wonderful if the dream was an especially good one…) Still others report they cannot remember their dreams.

For years, I had a recurring dream (fairly common, I am told) about a young boy. It was a very short dream, really.  In the light of a full moon, he would close the door of a dilapidated cabin, and start down the dark path toward the river.  I could see his breath in the cold air and the frightened expression on his face. He shivered, wearing only a thin T-shirt and no shoes.

I sensed he was running away. I didn’t know his name or the circumstances causing him to flee, but I was drawn to him—my heart broke for him. I was more than curious—obsessed to a point—to find out how this dream intersected with my own life. It was as if there was an important message in the dream that I was supposed to pass on to others.

Growing up, I loved to read and write, so it was only natural that I would someday attempt to use my writing skills to unfold the meaning of this dream. When I retired from my years of teaching and counseling, I sat down at the computer and closed my eyes. I let the familiar dream play out in my mind’s eye and then just started typing…and typing…and typing…

Two years later, after much editing, rewriting and input from my critique group and Beta readers, Runaways, The Long Journey Home was published. The story of unconditional love and forgiveness—that message that I just knew I had to share with others—is front and central.

I no longer dream about Jake and his circumstances.  The dream has run its course and the message has been shared. I pray that it is a blessing to those meant to hear it.